All is not well

This morning I listened to a JSS 3 student recount his pre-Boko haram and Boko haram controlled Kaduna experience to his friend.

It is sad, that such a young boy had to experience such sadness and human cruelty in a war free-terrorism controlled nation like ours.

Nigerians in Nigeria especially those who live in Lagos and maybe Abuja love to believe that all is well with our beloved Nation.

As a current Nigerian in Nigeria and a former Nigerian in Diaspora, and with the addition of my recent travels around one of the states in Nigeria, I tell you all is not well with Nigeria.

I remember Atilola's post earlier this year and our beloved T.Note's long response to the matter. If you still believe life in Nigeria is good and you live in Lagos or Abuja where the life is sweet, kindly visit remote parts of Nigeria and understand what I really mean.

Until my recent travel, I did not realize there are still mud houses in Nigeria, that some people still have to trek for several kilometers to assess good health, water and worse education. Stories our grand mothers told about having to walk several miles to get to school, President GEJ's story of "no shoes to school" is the reality of a larger percentage of Nigerians who live outside major towns and cities in Nigeria.

The highest amount of money some people have ever received or handled in their lives is ten thousand Naira. I visited a community with my colleagues where the government dumped a transformed way back since 2004 and never came back to finish the electrification. One man said in another community that we visited that, Politician only know the route to their villages during elections and never once they get into office.

There is fear in the land, Nigeria's Independence is now celebrated inside Aso rock, the governor of Kwara State did not attend the Independence day event and rather sent the Secretary to the State Government. Schools refused to send their children out for the Independence day parade, the seats were empty for no one was sure if which state will bear the Boko Haram brunt.

No one knows where next Boko haram would unleash their terror, people are suffering, there are no good roads to transport sick people to the nearest health centers. Primary health centers are not properly equipped, some primary health centers run the activities of a secondary health center when the nearest secondary health center is not accessible due to terrible roads. Unemployment is a major bane, a huge number of our so called graduates are unemployable and our entrepreneurs are just not ready to face some reality.

There is hardship in the land, government is not doing enough, some Nigerians are vicious and evil, some are just too lazy and some are damn lucky( I can say I am one of these).

I long for a trouble free Nigeria, where everything works but in the absence of that, I am ready to hop on the next plane out of here if I can for better life.

♥Lara

'Lara A

A Nigerian amateur photographer's personal blog on travels, books and all this that runs through this little head of mine...I am adventurous, open minded and a goal-getter.

I'm actually aware of what you have to say about the hard life in the villages. It's so easy for someone living in a town and city to forget that other side, even though that's where many of them came from. Only God can truly change Nigeria. I hope you choose Canada when you do leave the country. I'm sure your skills will be put into great use here ;)

This can really make a person reflect. I fully understand what you mean. I also come from a country where people are facing the same reality you spoke about. Just like you I have been fortunate to be one of the "lucky" ones and more than anything I want to make a change. As we think about issues like these, one cannot help but wonder about the future of Africa as a whole...Reflections....reflections....reflections!All we can do is look up to the heavens and pray, and hope and have faith. People like you and me and thousands across the continent CAN make a difference, all we need is faith. Faith doesnt always move mountains, sometimes it gives us the courage to climb them! May WE have the courage and caliber to blow the winds of change all over Africa.#young,gifted and black!Clenia Gigi

I feel for you, very deeply. What you wrote is what I've been reading in newspapers. I also read the other day that the wealthiest billionaire in Africa is a Nigerian woman. There are 50 billionaires in Africa, a very conservative estimate -- 9 in South Africa and 8 in Kenya (including the mother of its current president). Nigeria has more billionaires, at least two men. The article said they spend lavishly outside of Africa. Anyway, there are more billionaires in Africa than in Canada and the U.S. combined.

How can anyone say all is well in this kind of situation? It is sad enough that Nigerians cannot even go visiting some places in the violence-filled areas. Argungun festival used to be a fishing delight in Kebbi where people from around the world gathered to celebrate with the local community, but that has gone; Kano was a vibrant city for commerce, but things have changed not for good. Indeed, all is not well.